Flexible watch bracelet



Aug. 18, 1925. 1,550,024

A.` H. GARsT ET AL I y FLEXIBLE WATCH BRACELET Filed Nov. 18. 1924 lill/'111111111115 l position.

Patented 18, 1925.-

UNITED STATES inxrau'r OFFICE.

ARTHUR H. GARST AND EARL A. KUPFER, 0F PROVIDENCE, RHGDE ISLAND.

FLEXIBLE WATCH BRACELET.

Application led November 18, 1924. Serial No. 750,545.4

4the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certaln newand useful Improvements in Flexible Iatch Bracelets, of which the following is a specification.

Uur invention relates to retractile expansible bracelets of the type comprising a plurality of interslidable units or links.

An essential object of our invention 1s inexpensiveness of construction. l

. Another object is the control of a plurality of links @by a common retractile element or elements rather than by a spring in each individual unit.

further Objectis to prevent the torsional tendency in this class of bracelets which induces the latter to assume a twisted And a Iinal object is to provide attaching members at the ends of the chain effective in operation and inexpensive to construct.

Our invention consists in such parts and combinations of parts as are embraced within the scope of the claims.

In the drawings herewith which are for illustrative purposes only- Figures 1 and 2 are a front elevation and a rear elevation respectively of a bracelet embodying our invention,

Figure' 3, an enlarged rear elevation of one end of the bracelet in normal contracted position, showing certain of theouter units in section,

Figure 4, a section ure3,

Figure 5, a view similar to that shown in Figure 3 with the parts expanded,

`on line 4-4 of Fig- Figure 6, a transverse section on line 6-6'v lar views.

In the present and preferred embodiment `of our invention the bracelet comprises a body 15 composed of outer and inner 'relatively slidable links or units represented in a general manner respectively .by 16 and 17.

Each outer unit sleeve is cut and bent from a flat thin metal blank to form a shell with open ends comprising, as shown in Figure 7, a front wall 18, side walls 19, and a rear Wall, represented generally by 20, comprising inwardly directed flanges 21 with for- Wardly directed prongs 23 upon the end portions of the flanges and in contact with each other. Each inner unit or shell also is cut and formed from a thin metal blank, and, as shown in Figure 8, is tubular in form comprising a front wall 25, side walls 26, and a rear wall 27, consisting of inturned flanges 28'with the edges in Contact at their ends, but having cavities 30 intermediate their ends forming a longitudinal slot 31 centrally of the rear wall.

p Each sleeve 16'slidably embraces portions of two adjacent connecting members 17, with the sets of prongs 23 at opposite ends of the shell severally registering in the slots 31 of the two connecting members. In contracted positions the ends of the member 16 are in Contact with ,each other,'and the ends of the members 17 abut against each other, as shown in Figure 3. The material at the ends of the slots 31 forms a stop to the eX- cessive travel of the prongs 23 and thus de- 1fines the extent of expansion of the brace- Upon each end of the bracelet is a terminal or attaching member 34 similar to that shown in Figure 9. In detail it comprises a shell 16 integral with the front wall 18 at one end of which is a flat hook comprising a shank 35 and beak 36. These hooks are purposed to engage the loops of a wrist watch or other article purposed for mounting upon the arm or wrist.

through the opening 46.. The portion 40 of the plate engages the beak 36 and performs the functions of a retaining ton e in conjunction with the hook; the portion engages prongs 23 which are preferably of a length' to project slightly into the interior of these shells, as shown in Figures 4 and 6. In this case the ends of the springs are fastened to the members 39. This is effected by forcing the spring ends into the slots 43 of the latter where the coils are held by engagement with the fingers 44. It is found that any tendency of the bracelet to twist transversely is made impossible by employing springs wherein the direction of the inclination of the coils in one spring is opposite to the inclination of the coils in the other spring, as shown in Figure 3.

Normally the bracelet is in retracted position with the units 17 in contact end to end enclosed by the sleeves 16. When the bracelet is expanded portions of the members 17 are disclosed; If desired the front Walls 18 and 25 of the respective units may contain surface or other ornamentation.

It will be observed that a multiplicity of springs is avoided, and that all the remaining parts yof the bracelet structure are capable of formation from flat metallic blanks, and that the use of solder is eliminated; hence the expense of construction is reduced to a minimum.

We claim 1. In a bracelet, a series of shells provided with centrally disposed longitudinal slots, sleeves slidably mounted on the shells, stop projections spaced from eachother on the sleeves Vseverally extending through the slots of two adjacent shells and a distance into. the shells to constitute guardsl for the springs, terminal members upon the ,end shells of the series, and parallel helical springs retained at their ends in the terminal members and extending through the shells at'each side ofthe projections.

2. In a bracelet, a series of. shells, sleeves slidably mounted on the shells, terminal members engaging ythe end shells of the series, and helical springs retained at their ends in the terminal members extending continuously through the shells, the coils of one spring being inclined oppositely to the inclination of the coils of the other spring.

3.` In a bracelet, a series of shells, sleeves slidably mounted on the shells, terminal members comprising tubular portions engaging the end shells of the series, and attaching hooks upon the tubular portions, plates attached to the tubular portions provided with slots, and a helical spring extending continuously through the shells and engaging the plates in the slots.

4. In avbracelet, a series of shells,slidable sleeves mounted on the shells in staggered relation thereto, terminal members comprising tub'ular portions engaging the end shells of the series, and attaching hooks on the ends of the tubular portions, plates in the terminal member engaging at one end the hooks and provided at its other end with slots, and a helical spring in the shells having their ends seated in the slots.

In testimony whereof we have aiixed our signatures.

ARTHUR H. GARST. EARL A. KUPFER. 

